Apparatus for treating articles by disruptive conduction



F.1s. SMITH. APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTI'CLES BY DISRUPTIVE CGNDUCTION.

MLICATIN- FILED IAR4 2T, |919. v

Patented Dee. 6, 1921.

F. S. SMITH. TING ARTICLES BY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCTION.- lcATloN FILED MAR21. 1919.

APPARATUS FOR Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

2 SHEETS-.SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY.

fruits, etc., also furs, woolens and the 'FRANKLIN s. SMITH, or

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

.AIPEAIRAIUYS FOR TREATIN G ARTICLES BY DISRUPTIVE CONDUCTION.

To all whom t may 'concern Be it known that I FRANKLIN S. SMITH, acitizen of the United States, and a. resident of Philadelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented anImprovement 1n Apparatus for Treating Articles by Disruptive Conduction,of which the following is. a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus' for treating grain, beans, milledcereals, dlrild 1 e. by disruptive conduction, and it has for one of itsobjects to provide means whereby the condensers or elastors may beadjusted toward and fromeach other; also to provide means whereby-"asingle, uninterruptedbelt may be employed to. convey or carry thearticles to be treated between the opposing groups of elastors, therebypreventing relative slippage between the adjacent opposing sections ofbelt between which the articles are carried. Heretofore where aplurality of belts have been employed, if one of them slipped, therebycausing relative movement between the belts, the articles held betweenthe opposing parts of the conveyerl belts would be caused to assume atwisted or ab- 'normal position with respect to the belts.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the spans'of the conveyor belt by means of which-the boxes or otherfobjects to be'treated arel onveyed\ through the apparatus may be adjusted toward andfrom each other to thereby accomf modate boxes'or other objects ofdifferent sizes. f

My invention also has for an object the provision oi' certainimprovements in details of construct-ion as will be more speciicallypointed out in the detailed description which follows.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be pointed out in thedetailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent fromsuch` description.

ln order that my invention may be more readily understood and itsractical advantages fully appreciated andp comprehended, referenceshould'be had to the accompanying drawings in which I have'illustratedone` form of a convenient embodiment'theeof.

In the drawings: 'v

Figure 1 is asview in transverse section, certain ofy the parts beingshown in section 4- and others in, elevation; f

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal Sectional y Specification ofApplication led March 27,

Letters ratent. Patented Dec. 6, 1921 N.. ...,...HHSSUED view ofone-half of thema/,chine taken on the line 2 2 oi" Fig. 1; l

Fig. 2a is a slmilar View of the other half of the machine taken on thesame line; and

Flg. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 21a,showinga detail of construction. y

Referring to theA drawings :1 and 2 designate supporting framestructures situated at the opposite ends of the apparatus and upon whichportions of the said apparatus are supported. The`said frame supportingstructures 1I and 2 are each prof vided with converging leg portions,the upper endsof which are connected by a cross bar or head portion 3.The leg portions are continued above the barl 3 by theextensions 4 whichare in substantially parallel arrangement as shown in Fig. 1. The upperends of the extensions 4 are connected as shown. In the spaces formed bythe extensions 4 adjustable oblong yoke like members 5 are supported. Attheir lower endsthese members are respectively provided with projectingstem portions 8 which extend through openings 9 in the cross parts 3.Projecting .from the upper .ends of theseY membes 5 are screw threadedstem-like portions 11, each of-which extends through. an opening 12through a bar 13 at the upper end of the supporting frame structures atAthe ends of the apparatus. 15 dlsignates the hubs. of sprocket wheels,one at'each end of the apparatus., vwhich have screw threaded connectionwith the screw threaded stems 11. The lower ends of these hubs areseated against the upper sides of the bars 13 in consequence o which,when the hubs are rotated, movement of the* stemsl 11 together with theframes 5 to which they are connected, is effected, either in onedirection or the other,-up or down. The upper endsof the hubs, areextended as indicated at 16 and are adapted to contact with thestop-rings 17 which are secured to the upper ends of the threaded stems11. This occurs when the yoke' members `5 and stems 11 are in theirlowermost positions as shown in the drawings. Thel presence of the'stops 17 preventsV thescrewing of hubs 15 accidentally 'off the stems11.

Sprocket wheels 20 are integrally or other\ wise connected with the said`hubs 15. These sprocket wheels .are operated by a sprocket chain 21 inengagement therewith. The said chain iselldless ,shown/.I By takingholdy of the said chain and causing movement thereof, simultaneousrotative movement of the 'sprocket wheels 2O and the screw thread edhubs'15 is eifected so as to cause simultaneous vertical movementseither up and down of the screw threaded stems 11 and of the oblongframes 5 connectedtherewith, andallso such parts of the apparatus as maybe su orted upon the parts 5.

en the hubs 15 are caused torotate in one direction the 'when in theopposite direction such parts will be lowered.

opposite-ends resting upon the cross 1 and secured thereto 4by means o25 designates brackets secured to the parts 5, said vbrackets havingcross connections-'26 at their inner endsl as shown in the dravsv` barwith its/l in si 27 desi ates a narrow g gn arts 26 screwI threadedbolts 28. Secured to the opposite sides of the .bar 27 are the sideplates 30 arranged in parallel relation as indicated and relatively nearto each other )as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. 31 designates aseries of rollers rotatably mounted upon the said lates as shown, saidrollers being situ ated tween the plates.

designates brackets secured to the upper ends of the frame supportingstructures 1 situated at the opposite ends "of the apparatus. The innerends of each of these brackets vare connected by a cross member 36. 37designates a bar extending between the brackets 35 and having itsopposite ends resting upon the cross parts 36 and secured thereto bmeans Iof screw y.threaded bolts/ 38. 40 esi ates. parallel \platessecured to the opposite sides of the bar 37. Mounted upon these lates,intermediate thereof, adjacent their ower edges, are .the rollers 41,the trunnions of which project into 'slot openings 42 in the saidplates. The rollers 41 are situated closetogether as shown as are therollers 31.

n opposite si zrestin upon the upper the ro 1ers 41, said weig 4ingVsituated intermediate `ad'acent rollers 45 designates weights peripheraledges of tgrespectively beas-shown and tending to hold t e said rollersin their lowermost positions.

These rollers 31. and 41 are situatedl in af plane situated centrallyand extending lon- 'tudinall 'of the a paratus. l

Such vp ane is Vini way between the'opposite groups or sets ofelectrodes/" and 51 whic project from ofthe two' roups ofelastorssituated at the es of f the machine. These repectivve groups of elastorsare designated by the. reference'numerals 52 and ,53.` The p saidelastors of `each group, are supported 65 opposite sides of theapparatus.,-

lates.54 'andare connected in multi'- ese plates arel in' urn supportedupon the post insulators and 61 situated Thereare.

ranged in couples as shown,

parts' 5 will be lifted and.

'toward or away of "disk-like forml whatever t ey may be,

the respective elastors the are arthe insulators one couple and theinsulators he said posts are each confour of these insulators -and 60constitutin 61 another.

- nected at their lower ends tobase members 65 which are in `turnslidably supported upon cross sill members 66 which extend transverselyof the-machine and the opposite ends of which rest upon the horizontalflanges of the side angle' members, 67, as best shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings. The base members 65 are each provided with a central dependingportion which fits in a complemental shaped depression or opening in theupper side ofthe sillsv 66. The opposite side portions of the basemember 65 rest upon the top sides ofthe sills 66 as shown in Figs. 2 and3 of the drawings.Y The base members 65 supporting the respectivecoupxles of posts 60 and 61 are connected toget er byy means of rods andwhat may be termed a turn buckle connection 81. These rods 8O and thepart 81 are provided in connection with oppositely disposed postinsulators at the opposite end portionsof the machine. Each of the parts81 is provided with l y chain 83. By pulling this chainso as to causemovement thereof in one direction or the other the insulating posts 60and 61 at the opposite end portions ofthe apparatus are caused to--moverom each other. By thus adjusting the posts 'apparatus toward and fromeachother, the two groups or sets of elastors and electrodes are causedto move toward or from each other as may be desired so as to increase or,diminish the distance between the opposing a sprocket 'wheel 82 over.which passes a sprocket on opposite sides of the f nected to the oposite sides yof Aa step up` transformer 90. he elastors are connected inseriesfwith each-other` through the spark bet ween the opposingelectrodes. 1

or the urpose of conveying the articles, through the machine, betweenthe opposing electrodes in lorder that they may be' subjected to theaction of a disrupti ve conductive current I have pre1 vided a single orendless belt 95 driven by means of a'. drum 96 which inturn is driven bymeansof ,a motor 97. Theemotor and drum are connected by means of theear mechanism indicated as a whole aty 98. he

portions of the conveyer belt upon Opposite .sides of thedrum 96 b meansof which the same is driven trave rolls 100 sup orted upon the `lowerends of swinging'lin s 101 drawn toward each other by means lof acontractile spring 102.

Passing from the druiri .96 toward` the right, the belt 95 passes incontact with a roller 103,' thence partially around and over the takeup.

,underneath a roller 104thence upwardly t0- A cannot be relativemovement or Vment of the parts 5 4and such ward the top of the machinewhere it passes partially around and over a roller 105, and thence overand partially around a roller 106. From this point the'belt passesdownwardly and around the right hand side of and underneath a roller 107and thencev underneath the weighted rollers 41 `and around the outsideof the relatively large roller 108, passing upwardly over the same, andthence toward the right above the top of the machine and partiallyaround and over a roller 110; thence downwardly toward the lower side ofthe machine and partially around and underneath a roller 111; thencetoward the left over and partially around the upper side of the roller103; thence along the upper peripheral edges of the rollers 31, to therelatively large roller 112 at the left hand side of the machine, aroundthe outside, downwardly and Dunder-l neath the same, and thence backv tothe drum 96.- The rollers 41 are held down upon the portion of the beltunderneath the same by their own weightand also by the weight of thedisks 45.

In the construction shown .the material being treated is contained incartons, some of the latter being shown at 115 in Fig. 2 of the drawing.These cartons are fed in between the parallel portions 116 of theconveyer belt 95 at the left hand end of the machine. Any suitableplatform or other means may be provided to' facilitate the feeding ofthe cartons or other articles of different character' which may becharged into the machine between the portions v116 of the belt. rIfheportions 116 of the belt are adapted to contact with opposing portionsof the article and hold and convey the same through the machine betweenthe opposing groups Lof electrodes and elastors. The portions 116 of thebelt are adapted -to be adjusted toward and from each other toaccommodate articles, whether in the form of cartons or otherwise,ofdi'erent sizes. This is accomplished by rotating the sprocket wheels20 to eiect vertical adjustparts as may be carriedI thereby.

Should 'it become advisable ,or necessary to adjust the twgsets ofelastors and electrodes toward or from each,y other,"this may beaccomplished by pulling upon the sprocket chain 83 to e'ect simultaneousrotation of the sprocket wheel 82 to therebyl efect simultaneousadjustment of the posts of the' respective couples' 60 Aand, 61 towardor from'each Iothers depending upon the' direction of rotation of theparts 81..

By reason of .the fact that the. conveyer belt 95 is continuous, it isobvious that there slippage bebetween and treated are right handltweenthe parts 116 thereof, by which theu articles being carried andsupported. -At the end ofthe machine the articles are delivered to adelivery chute 120, which is curved laterally as indicated in Fig. 3. Itis necessary in the construction shown to provide a curved deliver chuteas shown because the upright vportions 0f the belt intermediate therollers 104 and 111 and 105 and 110 -are situated in the line of theportions 116 of the belt, so that such upright portions of the beltoccupy positions in alinement with the path of travel of the articlesthrough the machine. Consequently it is necessary to provide 'means fortheir delivery at one side of the upright portions of the belt.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus` of the character described, the combination of aplurality of are arranged in parallel relation with re-,l

spect to each other, said portions being situated intermediate the saidelectrodes, and

means for moving one vof said portions toward or from the other tovarythe distance between the same.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of twosetsl of ,elastors and electrodes havingl connection therewith, the saidtwo sets of' electrodes being arranged in opposing spaced relation toeach other, an endless conveyerfor conveying products through the spacebetween said sets of electrodes, means at the opposite ends of saidapparatus for supportingsaid conveyer with two portions-theredf inparallel relation in said space, said means comprising members situatedin opposed relaltion to each other at the opposite end portions of theapparatus, frame members situated at the opposite ends of saidapparatus,

said frame members supporting correspndl' `ingiones of said members atthe opposite end portions of the apparatus, and means for adjusting saidframe members to -elle'ct relative adjustment of said oppositelydisposed members at each end of the apparatus towardl and from'eachother to cause relative adjustmentof the' parallel portions of the saidconveyer in the said space toward and from each other.

l 3. In anapparatus of the character def scribed, the combination of aplurality'of sets of elastors land"kelectrodesasupported inl opposingrelation with respectto each other, a `plurality of couples of posts forsupporting each setof elast couple being situate in opposed relation s,the posts of each nections Whereb trodes, an endless conveyer forconveying articles *across the said gap to effect ltreat'-l mentthereof, the portions of said conveyer between saidelectrodes being inparallel relation with respect to each other, adjustable frame-likedevices situated at the opposite ends of the' said apparatus, meansforfsimultaneously adjusting each of the said devices vertically ineither direction:A and rollers Supported uP011 the said devlcesfor'supporting one of the parallel sides of the said endless conveyer.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have Ahereuntoset my namethis 25th dag;T of March A. D., 1919.

'FRANKLIN's SMITHI 1 i

